Lydon hits back

The Sex Pistols frontman vents anger over the recent racist allegations

29 July 2008 - John Lydon insists he is not racist - despite allegations that members of his entourage carried out a racially motivated attack backstage at Summercase festival.

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke reported the incident at the Spanish festival to police and according to him, Lydon was "intimidating and aggressive" when he approached him - and then one of Lydon's associates said his problem was his "black attitude."

But Lydon says that's not true - and talking to the BBC's The One Show last night, Lydon said the media's reporting of the story has made him angry.

“There has been a hell of a lot of ‘freedom of the press’ shall we say, where they’ve run wild with it,” he ranted. “It’s absolutely atrocious, really really hurtful. My grandchildren are Jamaican and this is an absolute offence to them and me when they read stories like that.”

He was keen to make it clear that he is not racist, saying: “I’m absolutely not, and any b****r that says so is gonna have their day in court with me.”

Lydon was angry at the press that; “had the liberty to take liberties with a man like me and call me racist, when my entire life has proved exactly the opposite.”

He also said how it is his joy to play to crowds with an array of cultural heritage: “It’s the most wonderful thing playing to our multi-racial audiences, which they always have been.”

Georgie Rogers